pratt



R. N. PRATT.

No. 552,199. Patented Dea. 31, 1895.

RUEus N. rRATT,

' UNITED STATES a CADY COMPANY, or SAME PLACE.

COCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettere Patent No. 552,199, dated December s1, '1895. Appneaien ieaneeember 5,1393. sean No. 492,854. (No mean.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUFUS N. PRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cocks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates tothe class of rotary plug-cocks that are made tight by packings inserted into grooves formed'in the body of the cock about the plug` and the object is to provide a cock for use in steam or other highpressure systems, also in systems in which there ilows fluid containing destructive gases,

acids or alkalies, that may at any time when the old packing becomes damaged or worn be renewed and made tight for high pressures by a packing-that, while cheap, is durable, occupies but little space and can be readily .placed in position by any one without re.

moving he cock from its connections.

' Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which the invention is illustrated, Figure 1 is a central-vertical section of one'of the cocks. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the body only, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective View of one of the packing-sticks. l

In the views, 1 indicates the body of the cock, which-is cast to shape'of Viron or any other suitable metal,with any ordinary means for attaching it to the pipe ends of the system in vwhich it is to be placed. This body has what larger in the usual fluid-way Witha circular plug-chamber 2 at the middle, in which is located the rotary plug 3, having the port et, that is made of iron or any other suitable material to fit the walls of the plug-chamber.

In the adaptation ot the invcntionshown in the drawings the body of the cock is formed with an opening through the walls at both the top and bottom ends of the plug-chamber,

which openings are usually circular and somediameter than the diameter of the plug-chamber. In the walls of'the plugchamber, usually extending from one opening to the other, are made two or more grooves 5, that may be either rectangular or dovetailed in cross-section, as indicatedin Fig. 2, 'and in these grooves are inserted-the packings 6. These packmgs are independent perfectly-formed sticks or pieces usually having more elasticity than the metal of the cockbody, made to it the grooves into which they are to be inserted with a little projecting beyond the surfaces of the walls of the chamber to properly pack the joint, and they are preferably molded to shape of a fibrous maoE HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, AssiGNoR To THE PRATT A teriah as asbestos, which insures considerable tensile strength and wearing resistance as well as elasticityyto the packing, which iibrous material may be bound together by rubber or other gum .provided with a'hardening agent and made into a very de of thereqnired size to fitthe and pressure or vulcaniz/ation. in this manner when 'inserted are very strong andldurable.

grooves by heat in the grooves They make a Atight joint and are not readily attacked by disintegrating substances in the fluids passing through the cocks; but, of course, they may be made of other materials and by any one readily slipped into grooves are clear to accomplish the desired result.

In the form of cock shown, after the packplace when the v `nse and hard mass 6s, Sticks made ing-sticks have been placed in position, rings 7 and 8, preferablyA of the same or a similar material as the sticks, are placed in the upper and lower. openings at the ends of the packing-sticks about the ends of the plug,4

and thenfgland's or bonnets 9 and I0 are placed inthe openings outside the packing-rings. When abalaneed plug is used, similar to that shownin the drawings, to prevent the escape of fluid from the chamber 11 above the larger end of the plug, a packing-gland l2 is placed around the spindle where-it passes through the bonnet. Of course, when the bottom of the cock-body is not cut away or opened there will be no necessity for but it is desirable to have the plug-chamber openthrough both the top and bottom walls of the body, in order that the Worn sticks may be readily driven out, so that new ones may be substituted. These independent' sticks, formed to the nal shape, easily slip into the grooves, so as to iit and pack tightly against and they are held in place by the packing-rings at the ends under thei pressure ofthe bolts or fastenings of the glands when screwed up, so that the plug can easily be the plus,

the bottom gland 9;-

IOO

forced farther; into the tapering chamber in order to take up the ordinary Wear Without slipping the packing-sticks out of position.

' A cock made as above described can be readily and quickly renewed by any one when the packings become Worn Without removing the vcock from its connections or even letting down the pressure of the fluid in the system, for without removing the plug, when the glands are takenoi, by means of a hammer and nail or other similar means the Worn packing-sticks can be driven out and new ones at once substituted-` In fact, the old, ones can be pushed out by the new ones that are being driven in. These cocks are simple and can be provided with very durable packingsticks` that have great tensile strength and resistance to frictional wear, which sticks can also be made self-,lubricating by incorporating into the mixture, when they are being formed in to shape, some natural mineral luhricant, as plumbago, These packings, While very eicent, are cheap, and being small and regularly shaped occupy but little space, so

that a large number can be kpi 0n hand and immediately use d should a leak occur, without removing the cock from its connections 0r Veven reducing the fluid-pressure, which feature is very valuable for Steamship' ser-vice, where it is often. desirable t0 rnaek a cork without disturbing the System er Gausins delay, `Cocks made in this manner and nmvided with these independent, removable, homogeneous sticks are also particularly valliable for use in chemical plants, as they permit thereadyinsertion of Pckings which are must suitable for the specific purpose to special fluid that isto flow through the system in which the cock is located, as sticks of various materials formed so as to resist different attacking substances, either gases, acids or alkalies, can be kept on hand and readily changed, as desired, Without removing the cock. The sticks, which 4are much protected in the grooves and by the end packing-rings, may be made in a very durable manner, ofv the most suitable materials for the purpose to which the cock is to be used, and they are interchangeable, so that a large stock of cocks may be kept on hand and some made applicable to one use and some to another by a simple substitution of a different packing; but the chief advantage of this improved cock resides in the renewability of the packings when they'become worn.

I claim as my invention- A plug cock, consisting of a body having a duid Way and a plug chamber opening through the Walls of the body, with longitudinal grooves in the walls of the plug chamber opening at both ends of the plug-chamber, independent stii and homogeneous packing sticks formed to final shape and loosely placed in said grooves so they may be removed when desired, and removable packing rings located at each end of the grooves, whereby, when the packing rings are removed, the sticks are accessible at each end, substantially as speci- RUFUS N. PRATT.

v fled.

Witnesses:

' HARRY R. WILLIAMS,

C. BUcKLANn. 

